Consumption

Tuberculosis
Synonyms	N/A
Pronounce	N/A
Specialty	N/A
Symptoms	Chronic cough, fever, night sweats, weight loss
Complications	Lung damage, spread to other organs
Onset	Gradual
Duration	Long-term
Types	N/A
Causes	Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Risks	HIV/AIDS, smoking, diabetes, malnutrition
Diagnosis	Tuberculin skin test, chest X-ray, sputum culture
Differential diagnosis	N/A
Prevention	N/A
Treatment	Antibiotics
Medication	Isoniazid, Rifampicin, Ethambutol, Pyrazinamide
Prognosis	N/A
Frequency	10 million cases per year
Deaths	1.5 million per year

Tuberculosis (TB), historically known as consumption, is an infectious disease usually caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB). Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but can also affect other parts of the body. Most infections do not have symptoms, in which case it is known as latent tuberculosis. About 10% of latent infections progress to active disease which, if left untreated, kills about half of those affected.

The classic symptoms of active TB are a chronic cough with sputum containing blood, fever, night sweats, and weight loss. The historical term "consumption" came about due to the severe weight loss and the way the disease "consumed" the individual. Infection of other organs can cause a wide range of symptoms.

Tuberculosis is spread through the air when people who have active TB in their lungs cough, spit, speak, or sneeze. People with latent TB do not spread the disease. Active infection occurs more often in people with HIV/AIDS and in those who smoke.

Diagnosis of active TB is based on chest X-rays, as well as microscopic examination and culture of body fluids. The tuberculin skin test (TST) or a blood test can be used to screen those at high risk of TB.

Prevention of TB involves screening those at high risk, early detection and treatment of cases, and vaccination with the bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine. Treatment requires the use of multiple antibiotics over a long period of time. Antibiotic resistance is a growing problem in multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB).

See also

• Pulmonary tuberculosis
• Extrapulmonary tuberculosis
• History of tuberculosis
• Tuberculosis management

External links

• World Health Organization: Tuberculosis
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Tuberculosis